Nikon Z6 II initial review: Digital Photography Review

The Nikon Z6 II is an up to date model of the corporate’s 24MP multimedia full body mirrorless digicam. It positive factors extra processing energy so as to add improved autofocus and some different tweaks to an already well-rounded function set.

Key specs

• 24MP full body BSI CMOS sensor
• Steady taking pictures at as much as 14 fps (in 12-bit Uncooked with single AF level)
• Full-sensor UHD 4K video at as much as 30p
• UHD 60p from an APS-C crop promised in future firmware replace
• Two card slots (1x CFexpress/XQD, 1x UHS-II SD)
• 3.69M-dot EVF with improved blackout occasions
• Tilting 2.1M dot learn touchscreen
• USB-C socket for recharging or powering the digicam
• Battery ranking of 410 (LCD) and 340 (EVF) pictures per cost
• Connectors to permit battery grip with portrait orientation controls

The Z6 II launches on the similar value as its predecessor, with a beneficial promoting value of $1999 body-only or $2599 with the Z 24-70mm F4 S lens. Will probably be out there from November 2020.

What’s new and the way it compares

The addition of a second card slot shall be a massively welcomed change for some photographers.

The Z6 II is a refined refresh of the present Z6, extending the capabilities somewhat, however providing a largely related, well-rounded stills and video function set. When it comes to {hardware}, the principle distinction is that the Mark II positive factors a second Expeed 6 processor, with many of the efficiency and have enhancements stemming from this extra processing energy.

Autofocus

Nikon says the autofocus efficiency has been incrementally improved over the unique Z6, however essentially the most notable function change is the addition of face and eye detection (each human and animal) to the vast space AF mode. Beforehand these options have been solely out there in ‘Auto’ space AF, that means the digicam determined the place to focus. By including them to vast space, you’ll be able to narrow-down the area by which that digicam hunts for faces, providing you with a method of pre-selecting the face you want to give attention to.

The variants of Extensive Space AF with human and animal face/eye AF have been added to the checklist of AF modes accessible from the ‘i‘ fast menu, that means you do not have to individually have interaction these features.

Nikon says the focusing system now works in gentle as little as –4.5EV (a one cease enchancment), when utilizing an F2.0 lens (or quicker). And that is with out utilizing the slower low gentle AF mode, which extends an extra two stops.

Capturing charge

The Z6 II’s most burst velocity will increase to a formidable 14 frames per second, however provided that you employ a single AF level and also you’re keen to take the slight dynamic vary hit of taking pictures 12-bit Raws. If you need the digicam to decide on an AF level or monitor a topic, it shoots at a nonetheless very respectable 12 frames per second.

Video

The (paid) Uncooked improve will permit an output that an Atomos recorder can encode as ProRes RAW or, after February 2021, a Blackmagic Video Help to encode as Blackmagic Uncooked.

The Z6 II builds on the Z6’s already fairly sturdy video function set, with the promise of UHD 4K 60p in a free firmware replace due in February 2021. This greater charge footage will come from an APS-C crop of the sensor, and can solely be out there for inside seize.

As well as, the digicam’s video output choices have elevated, with the Mark II in a position to output 10-bit HLG HDR footage, along with N-Log, to an exterior recorder. An non-compulsory paid improve allows a 12-bit line-skipped 4K Uncooked stream could be despatched to an exterior recorder to be encoded as ProRes Uncooked or, after a February 2021 firmware replace, as Blackmagic Uncooked.

Viewfinder

The viewfinder within the Z6 II is identical 3.68M dot OLED as within the unique mannequin. Nikon factors out that the optics and coatings are of its personal design and says it is decreased each the refresh lag and the blackout time between pictures. Nevertheless, the corporate hasn’t put a quantity on both enchancment.

In comparison with…

Regardless of being a comparatively refined replace, the Z6 II stays broadly aggressive with the opposite cameras with launch costs round $2000. The Canon EOS R6 is the outlier: priced at the next stage however providing higher specs (although it may well’t at all times ship the total promise of its video capabilities).

We’ve not included the Sony a7C right here, because it appears extra centered on compactness than being an fanatic’s most important digicam, however its specs are just like the a7 III’s, simply with out the AF joystick.

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Physique and dealing with

The digicam’s ergonomics are primarily the identical as the unique Z6, which is an efficient factor.

The physique and dealing with of the Z6 II is mainly the identical as its predecessor, which suggests it stays a solidly-built digicam with a snug grip. The physique is primarily constructed from magnesium alloy, offering a superb stability of weight and solidity.

The grip itself is snug and the entrance and rear dials very properly positioned in order that they’re readily accessible once you’re holding the digicam. There are two customizable Fn buttons subsequent to the lens mount, which could be configured independently or set to carry out paired features (corresponding to aperture open and shut throughout video seize).

Viewfinder and screens

Though the spec of the Z6 II’s viewfinder is not notably stellar by 2020 requirements, the digicam does no less than use it to its full potential (there are rival cameras with excessive dot-count finders that then drive the display at decrease resolutions). We have not had an opportunity to check the consequences of lag and improved blackout with fast-moving topics however will achieve this as quickly as we are able to.

The rear display can be unchanged, that means it has an honest decision however solely a tilt up/down design. We discover we choose the two-axis screens utilized by the likes of the Fujifilm X-T3 for stills or a completely articulated display for video.

Menus and interface

The digicam’s menus are in step with most Nikon cameras made over the past decade or so. This implies the menus are fairly dense with choices however the important thing ‘Customs Settings’ part is properly organized and color-coded, which makes it straightforward to navigate. A My Menu tab could be configured with both your most popular choices or a listing of your most not too long ago used choices.

When it comes to the person interface, the principle change is the addition of Extensive Space + face detect and Extensive Space + animal detect to the ‘i‘ fast menu, that means that you may extra rapidly have interaction human face or animal face detection as a part of your AF mode choice.

Battery

The Z6 Mark II comes with the newest EN-EL15c battery. It is 20% higher-capacity model of the 15b that got here with the earlier mannequin. The digicam is appropriate with earlier EN-EL15 batteries however will carry out a lot better with the newer variations. USB-charging is barely out there with the kind b and c items.

The digicam is rated as delivering 410 pictures per cost in case you use the rear LCD and 340 pictures per cost in case you use the viewfinder. As at all times, these scores are based mostly on very difficult utilization, and it isn’t unusual to get no less than twice as many pictures per cost in follow, relying on how you employ the digicam. We are inclined to discover a ranking of round 400 is ample for a day’s dedicated taking pictures or a weekend of pretty energetic pictures, however not sufficient for one thing as photographically intense as a marriage.

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Preliminary impressions

My preliminary impression of the Nikon Z6 II is of a reputable however not terribly far-reaching replace to the unique digicam. That is no unhealthy factor: the newest updates to the Mark I’ve meant it stays aggressive, so even a small step ahead is efficacious, but it surely may depart the Mark II with a reasonably quick shelf life.

What’s attention-grabbing is (on the face of it) how little the appliance of twin processors brings to the digicam: the additional energy has allowed Nikon to considerably enhance the buffer clearing charge, boosting the variety of pictures in a burst, and it is opened-up the potential for 60p seize, however there’s not far more to point out for that added grunt. The highest burst charge has elevated somewhat however solely with 12-bit output and with a single AF level, which does not precisely inform a story of plentiful processing useful resource.

The additional energy has allowed Nikon to considerably enhance the buffer clearing charge, boosting the variety of pictures in a burst

General, I ponder whether it is just too difficult to wring far more out of the IMX410 sensor that the Z6 II (and the vast majority of its rivals) seems to be utilizing. The APS-C crop is the most important area that sensor can produce 60p 4K from, so there’s not a lot Nikon can do on that entrance. Capturing 10-bit video internally and outputting 60p over HDMI must be doable, although: Panasonic’s S5 manages each.

Personally I ponder whether Nikon concluded there was solely thus far it may push the present sensor and determined to focus R&D assets on what could be doable with a next-gen chip in a future mannequin (therefore using two current processors, moderately than the event of a brand new one for this digicam). That is hypothesis, after all, however apart from the video enhancements, it is exhausting to see what extra Nikon may do with the present sensor.

It is solely actually the Canon EOS R6 that pushes past what the Z6 II gives, and that is a considerably dearer digicam

Aside from a handful of professionals and energy customers who actually need the reliability {that a} vertical management battery grip or redundancy of dual card slots convey, it is exhausting to see a lot motivation for current Z6 house owners to improve, however the improved AF habits, operation below USB energy, grip choice and twin slots ought to make it fairly interesting for consumers simply transferring to Z. To be clear, it is solely actually the Canon EOS R6 that pushes past what the Z6 II gives, and the R6 is a considerably dearer digicam, and one which – in some respects – struggles to ship all it guarantees.

My most important hope is that Nikon continues to develop the Mark II all through its lifetime, because it did with the unique, and that we see extra methods of exploiting its added processing energy over the approaching months and years.

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Official pattern pictures

All pattern pictures supplied by Nikon

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Specs

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